What a great start to the day! Sun shining, bags turned up and an impressive win for Katie O'Brien on court 4! She had a good draw against Patricia Mayr, the Austrian who beat Anne Keothavong at Wimbledon last year and played as well as I've ever seen her - which admittedly isn't loads.
During the 6-3, 6-3 win I was remembering some of the trips I took Katie on as a 12U player and how good she was at sleeping through her alarm and forgetting her tennis shoes:). Time flies. That’s 11 years ago! Her win earns her a shot at Jelena Jankovic, the colourful Serb who won the mixed dubs title at Wimbledon with Jamie a couple of years ago. A great opportunity for Katie and new coach Billy McKinlay to measure her game against one of the world’s best. Read more on Katie's first round victory.
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Talking of Jamie.....he and Jonny Marray picked up their first title of the year in Salinas on Saturday and are now in Bogota training (and taking the cable car up Montserrat) before the ATP tour event in Santiago.
During the day I watched Andy practice with Miles on court 17. There was a big crowd watching including a 7 year old Scottish kid called Ethan who told me he wanted "to be as tall as Andy Murray one day". Ha ha. While we are on the subject of 7 year olds - my twin niece Cora won her first swimming race at her lessons yesterday, got out of the pool and kissed her bicep!! Wonder where she learned that!
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I also saw Rog's twins for the first time today in the player lounge. So cute. No sign of Sharapova though. There is a lot of chat out here about her defeat to Kirilenko yesterday and whether she will ever get back to the top of the game.
Nike didn't get much payback on the green and gold dress they designed for her Oz Open campaign. Apparently the colours were chosen to appeal to the Aussie tennis fans! Nor did Tiffany (another of her sponsors) who threw a party at the weekend to launch her Oz Open earrings. She's one of the most marketable women in sport but I bet she would rather be winning big events again. And so would her sponsors.
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I'm at court 4 again watching Daniel Koellerer who just flung in an underarm serve on break point down! He's one of the Tours bad boys, with a backhand drop shot to die for, but is great entertainment and has attracted a sizeable crowd for his match vs. Antonio Veic, a talented young Croatian.
It’s roasting and I'm going to have to move soon or end up like a lobster. Wishing I had one of those bright pink Lacoste foreign legion caps that the ball kids have been saddled with. Yes, bright pink long sleeved shirts and pink caps. Bet the boys are gone about that!
Koellerer just levelled at a set all after a behind the back lob winner. Unbelievable. Then he shouted out "that's the best shot of the match after my drop shot". Even Veic applauded.
Rog has lost the opening set to Igor Andreev, long term boyfriend of Maria Kirilenko. They made a pact "to start the year loud". She kept her word by dumping Sharapova, now he has to do the same!!
Just wandered past the Fan Zone where Ivan Ljubicic was on autograph duty. Didn't stop! There were loads of people queuing for his signature though. There's a pile of kids waiting to get their picture taken with the worlds biggest coach - a guy on stilts (picture attached) with a wooden racket. The AO committee have really tried to create a family zone in the Garden Square.
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So that’s enough from me for today. Rog just saved set points on Igor’s serve in the 3rd set and goes 2-1 ahead. Koeller finally got a code violation for audible obscenity and my blackberry's about to melt.
Off for a melting moment and a cuppa (pic attached) before I try to watch Bhagdatis if I can get anywhere near his court. He's so popular here after making the final a few years back.
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Judy will be keeping us posted on the latest goings on throughout the event in Melbourne. Read the latest in Judy's Blog area.
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